1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carrying apparatus for spherical objects which is used when spherical objects such as spherical semiconductor are carried between regions having different atmospheres (fluid such as gas or liquid) each other while converting the carrier atmosphere. Priority of foreign application in Japan number 9-226,909 dated 22 Aug. 1997 is claimed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when a semiconductor device is made, a circuit pattern is formed on a silicon wafer, and it is diced in accordance with the necessity so as to form a semiconductor device. Recently, in the above circumstances, there is proposed a technique in which a circuit pattern is formed on a spherical semiconductor (ball semiconductor) made of single crystal silicon, the diameter of which is not more than 1 mm.
For example, in order to make a discrete device, which is used for a solar battery or an optical sensor, of a spherical single crystal silicon, or in order to make a semiconductor integrated circuit of a spherical single crystal silicon, it is necessary to provide various processes such as a mirror polishing process, cleaning process, thin film forming process, resist coating process, photolithography process and etching process in which the spherical single crystal silicon is treated. In order to make the spherical semiconductor element effectively, it is necessary to connect the above treating and carrying processes with each other so that they can be formed into a line.
However, in the processes, treatment is conducted not only in gas such as active gas or inert gas but also in liquid such as water or various solution. When the above processes are connected with each other so that they can be formed into a processing line, it is necessary to prevent an atmosphere, by which a workpiece is carried from an earlier-process, from being sent into a later-process. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the atmosphere of the earlier-process, from being sent into a later-process. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the atmosphere of the earlier-process from the workpiece when the workpiece is moved between the processes, and it is also necessary to convert the atmosphere of the earlier-process into the atmosphere of the later-process so that the workpiece can be carried in the atmosphere of the later-process. From the viewpoint of enhancing the productivity and quality, this work of converting the atmosphere must be conducted at high speed with high reliability.